Shiotsu Autotrade Japan – President’s Blog

In these tough times of recession and slow economy, if you are looking for a heavy duty truck for your tough applications which is also cost effective, we suggest you go for the Isuzu’s Giga series trucks.  The Isuzu C/E Series and Isuzu Giga is a line of heavy-duty commercial vehicles from Isuzu.  New generation Isuzu Giga trucks will surely satisfy your needs for a heavy-duty truck.

Isuzu Gigamax series trucks have the highest power rating in the entire Isuzu Giga truck range.  With the launch of Gigamax EXY 510, the Japanese truck maker Isuzu has cracked the 500 hp barrier.  This 26 meter B-double compliant model, with 15 liter six cylinder 512 hp engine, is rated to pull up to 70 tons has more than enough power, torque and specifications to satisfy the most demanding hauling operations.  Isuzu Gigamax can definitely handle abnormal applications with its 70 ton GCM.

Major features of Gigamax EXY 510 are as follows:

• 15,681 cc, 6 cylinder 24 valve SOHC Engine
• Lockble 1,000 liter fuel tanks
• Air suspended cab
• 16 speed Automated/Manual Transmission
• 315/80 R22.5 Steering and driving tyres
• Radio/CD Player
• ABS brakes with EBD and ASR
• Power Windows
• Cruise Control
• SRS Airbag
• Electronic Braking System (EBS) and Voith retarder

We recently tested Isuzu Gigamax EXY510 over a period of 3 days, with a running of around 1,000 km in city, highway and countryside.  We must say that we were fully satisfied with this test drive.

First of all, the truck cab is spacious with plenty of space overhead even for tall drivers.  Air suspended ISRI seats are fantastic with adjustable shock absorbers and many other features to make the driver comfortable.  The layout of the gauges is done very well and one can easily see the gauges through the steering wheel.  Gigamax has plenty of storage space which is laid out very well, with a large overhead shelf and three overhead compartments. We also found the gearbox very smooth doing its job perfectly.

On the road, the Gigamax had a very convincing performance.  It has plenty of power to go make cruising through city traffic and highway running a very light task.  It’s firm and direct steering gives a feeling of confidence and security even under fully loaded conditions.  When we were going at 100 km/hr in the top gear, the engine rpm was just over 1,500 rpm and cruising comfortably.

With the climate control feature, ISRI seats and cabs mounted on air suspension, the ride was very comfortable.  The noise level inside the cab noise was so low that engine was hardly audible.  Isuzu Gigamax engine performed at about 2 km per liter of diesel in our entire journey of 1,000 km.  An experienced driver may achieve a better fuel economy.

Overall, Isuzu Giga trucks are quiet and comfortable workhorses for all your heavy duty applications.  We have many used Giga trucks in our stock, in different configurations such as dump truck, wing body truck, or a refrigerated van.  Please get in touch with us with your specific requirements.

Technorati Tags: Isuzu Giga, Isuzu Giga trucks, heavy-duty truck, Japanese truck, Isuzu Gigamax, Gigamax EXY510

Tips to improve fuel economy in winter

Every winter, the truck industry encounters new problems.  This year we have to be extra careful as weather forecasts have predicted the 2009-10 winter to one of the snowiest and coldest.

It’s time to face the cold, hard truth – Winter conditions do cause a drop in fuel economy.  So, why does cold weather affects most vehicles’ fuel economy?  Well, there are many reasons, but increased friction is a one of the main reasons.  In the cold weather friction increases on almost every front, and in snowy weather, trucks have to work harder to push through slush and snow.  All these conditions contribute to greater resistance and more fuel spending.

Also, diesel or gasoline does not atomize and burn completely at low temperatures; traces of unburned fuel are left in the cylinder and evacuated with the exhaust.  All vehicles have an optimum operating temperature, and the colder it is, the longer to reach that full operating temperature, and it’s in that warm-up period that efficiency is lost.

Here are some tips for truck drivers to improve fuel efficiency and overcome other problems in winter:

1. Check for air pressure of your truck’s tire regularly and maintain it as per the required range. You may also invest in a tire-pressure checking gauge.  If you don’t have an air compressor, then most gas stations will have them. Just five minutes of care can help you save more than five dollars per month.
2. Its better to plan your trips well in advance so that you can carry out all tasks in one area at one time.  You will not only save your precious time but also minimize the amount of time your vehicle spends in warm-up mode by reducing the start and stop up rounds, irregular on-and-off operation of your vehicle in sub-zero temperatures.
3. Go easy on the accelerator as it’s easily worth 1-2 mpg and the results will show up on your next fuel bill, also it might help to prevent a wipe-out on black ice.
4. A far as possible try to park your truck in garage area to keep it warm, and this helps to shorten the time needed to reach full operating temperature.
5. Avoid idling of the trucks.  It is useless to start a cold truck and idle it.  If you wish to warm up your truck, it is better to drive around in your yard for it to reach the optimum temperature and oil pressure.  This will warm truck engine, suspension, differential, and transmission, and prevent any damage.
6. The function of Block heaters is not to warm an engine. They are specially designed to maintain the temperature of engine and not to heat up the engine. So it is important to plug in the block heater while truck engine is warm.
7. Before starting the Truck, drivers should always unplug it. If the block heaters are plugged in, even two or three seconds of the engine running can cause the block heaters to burn out.
8. It is necessary to drain fuel-water separators and air-tanks. As the ambient temperature falls down, water can get condensed in fuel tanks and it can also reach the heater/filter unit.  An engine is protected against the fuel contaminants only through fuel filters.  So, avoid using a fuel filter with larger micron just to increase fuel flow; it can cause damage to the pump, injectors and also make the warranty void.
9. Make sure that glad-hands have a nice and snug fit.  If they are not tight, they may come off in and may cause the air compressor to cycle unnecessarily.
10. To avoid the freezing up of air brakes, air hoses should be properly ‘hooked up’ with one another or to the dummy glad-hands.  If you find moisture present in the air hose, pour recommended brake line anti-freeze ONLY in the red (EMERGENCY) side. Never put the anti-freeze in the blue side as it may result into locking up of the brakes.
11. Get a radio with weather band so that you can listen to weather forecasts and get an advance warning about bad weather conditions.  Drive slowly and safely. It is better to reach late than never.

We hope these winter tips for truck drivers would be useful for our customers in cold countries.

Technorati Tags: truck industry, fuel economy, truck drivers, fuel efficiency, trucks

As we care about our customers, we would like to warn you about fake Japanese used car exporters on the Internet.  According to a news article published in East Africa News, many bogus online Japanese car exporters are swindling car buyers by luring them into buying used cars at unbelievably low prices, by making false claims that they are trying to get rid of their stock due to bankruptcy caused by the financial crisis.

Many vehicle importers from East Africa have reportedly lost millions of dollars due to such scams by bogus Japanese used car exporters.  Many Tanzania based used car importers who have spent thousands of dollars ordering these cheap Japanese cars from these fake online dealers have lost their money in the end.  Most of the time, they would be dealing with phantom companies who just take their money and then disappear.  It turns out that there are even Japan based Tanzanians who are operating these bogus car dealer companies.

How such bogus Japanese car exporters scam people?

1. It is not possible to contact the dealer once you send money to them.
2. Weeks, even months go by without ever receiving the vehicle from the dealer.
3. Even if the customer gets a vehicle, it is way different than what he paid for.

How to identify such bogus Japanese car exporters operating online?

You should look for the following signs which are common with most fake used car dealers online.

1. You should avoid dealing with car exporters who have phone numbers that start with either 81-80 and 81-90, as they are cell phone numbers. You’ll have a hard time tracking down these dealers.
2. Check out for their address from their website and make sure it is authentic.
3. Also check for a certification from the Japan Used Motor Vehicle Exporter’s Association (JUMVEA) in order to verify authenticity.

Our foremost concern is our customers receiving the highest quality of service backed by honesty and integrity, and it concerns us when Japan gets such a negative connotation because of these scam artists.

Some of the infamous examples of bogus car exporters are ‘Car Zone Japan,” which has taken almost $100,000 from people without giving them the automobiles they bought.  Another scamming company known by the name of ‘Global Trading Co Ltd,’  ‘41 Expo Inc.,’ ‘The Trading Club,’ and ‘Progress Ltd.’ – all of them claim to have gone bankrupt and so offering vehicles at low prices.

We sincerely hope our candor has convinced you to continue doing business with us.

Technorati Tags: used car exporters, Japanese car, East Africa, cheap Japanese cars

The automotive world is not just made of luxury vehicles and fancy sports cars which are made for cities.  There are also vehicles for enjoying the nature in the wildest conditions.  Last weekend I had a chance to test drive Mitsubishi Pajero 2007 – the fourth generation Pajero SUV.  At present, Mitsubishi Pajero is the most successful SUV to compete in the Dakar Rally – a grueling competition under the harshest conditions to be found on the earth.  Pajero won the legendary race twelve times including seven straight victories since 2001,  and carved a name for itself in the off-road circles.  I was therefore very happy that I could experience the thrill of driving such an incredible machine.

In Japan, most of the roads and highways are of very fine quality and so it is very difficult to test an SUV in rough conditions.  We therefore decided to drive the vehicle in Oze National park area in Tochigi and Fukushima prefecture.  After driving for 6 hours on the highways we finally reached the hilly plains of Tochigi prefecture.  It was snowing already, roads were slippery and the weather condition was awful, just right environment to test the Mitsubishi Pajero!

I would like to stress on the unbelievable off-road capabilities of Mitsubishi Pajero.  We went through a lot of natural obstacles like streams, bumps, boulders, hilly terrains and we could manage these situations at ease even in a snowy weather!  Despite the slippery roads and hilly terrains, we could easily maneuver the Car.  This just proved to us that the SUV had a simply incredible potential.

If you look at the Japanese domestic car market, the Japanese car makers do not offer that many true 4×4 vehicles though they may be offering many models in their lineups. Mitsubishi and Toyota are the only car manufactures in Japan, which offer trur 4×4 SUVS – Pajero and Land Cruiser, both of which are highly acclaimed in the International market too.

A first look at the Pajero will convince you that the car is strong looking yet elegant. Mitsubishi Pajero SUV offers rugged off-road capabilities as well as high levels of passenger comfort.  Rugged yet refined, with advanced design and technology offers increased safety, heightened comfort and strength, and superb performance.  With its tall, impressing looks, the Mitsubishi Pajero SUV surely catches attention whether you are climbing hills or cruising on city roads.

If you are planning to buy a four wheel drive SUV not just for city drives, but also to enjoy nature on all kinds of terrain,  we wholeheartedly recommend Mitsubishi Pajero 2007 SUV.  If you are interested in importing used Mitsubishi Pajero, please get in touch with us with your requirements.

Technorati Tags: Pajero SUV, Mitsubishi Pajero, Japanese car